yayoboy

Can see all peoples view's on Ross against Southampton, but I do think it was his best performance since his return from injury, so let's hope he keeps up the improvement.

I think we can all agree, was some header to score!

Welcome back Trez

It was/is great to see that the passing style from the first team is being coached into the kids, as seen in the build up to Barry's goal.

I know we helped it along, but thoroughly deserved accolade regardless.

There must have been something in the rumours, Jack himself said more than once he wasn't sure if he would still be at Villa this season.

We will never really know until Jack releases his memoirs.

Regardless, I am so glad he signed a new contract, and I genuinely believe that if we keep improving like we are, we will have "our Jack" until he retires.

Love Jack, UTV, VTID

3 hours ago, darrenm said:

I look around the first 11+2 or 3 and I'm astounded by how much quality we have everywhere which has somehow happened under the radar.

Lockdown happened at the best time for us in 2020. Without breaking that cycle of defeats we were down. The 2019/20 season actually started decent enough. We played spurs off the park for periods in the first game but then lots of dodgy decisions and bad luck went against us. The perfectly good goal at the end of the Palace game as an example. Once we were able to regroup during the hiatus, the team became more organised and we fought hard enough to stay up. Yes, the bizarre Hawkeye goal mouth incident helped but there's no guarantee we wouldn't have still drawn or even won that game.

That momentum, coupled with some camaraderie developed during the fight last season has carried on into this season. The playing additions have been Emi Martinez, Matty Cash, Bertrand Traore, Ross Barkley and Ollie Watkins. Barkley and Traore haven't featured as much as Watkins, Cash and Martinez but all have made a significant improvement.

Then existing players who were already good have improved. These are Targett, Mings, Konsa and Hause. Then Douglas Luiz, McGinn and El Ghazi are all starting to fulfill their potential.

We've somehow ended up with:

The best goalkeeper in the Premier League

A back 4 which could easily be and would probably be most effective as England's back 4 

A rock solid, high energy international level 2 central defensive midfielders who are also excellent at taking it forward in McGinn and Douglas Luiz. One is the main midfield dynamo for Scotland, the other is now being recognised as a main part of Brazil's international midfield.

In Grealish and Barkley we've got the most in form player in Europe at the moment and stats that are up there with anyone in the world and a top class international who has very similar attributes to Grealish but has a point to prove.

2 very effective wingers in Traore and El Ghazi who are starting to look very capable and are hitting some good form right now.

And a striker who is able to play up top on his own, is one of the best I've seen at holding up the ball, works harder than almost anyone, runs the channels, has great close control. Oh and scores 1 in 2.

There's quality everywhere and I don't see a weak spot. Potentially the squad is a bit thin and once we lose a couple of players with injuries and suspensions we might have some gaps and it might look very different. But even in that event, we have England's best goalkeeper sitting on the bench, Jacob Ramsey eager to impress, Elmohamady, Taylor, Hause, Engels, Hourihane; mostly established international players ready to come in. And not forgetting Wesley starting to push for a place towards the later part of the season.

The weakest point? It's maybe the greatest strength. The instruction from the management to go out and play, express and enjoy yourself. The lifting of the shackles. It's how the Villa team of 1994/95 under Big Ron used to be told to play. It can result in poor decision making sometimes but it can also result in a dynamic attacking team.

If the players continue to keep confidence, not let complacency creep in or try to coast thinking they've already put enough in, then we'll be right up there at the end of the season. Every game will be a battle and now they have the quality everywhere, the application will keep them winning. There are some exciting times to come, starting with righting the record against Man United tonight.

Great post DM 

19 minutes ago, nick76 said:

Southgate thinks Mount can do things Grealish cant as well....

Grealish thinks he can do things in his car that he cant as well....

Some Villa fans think Davis can score goals but he cant...

Mings thinks he can do a Cruyff turn but he cant...

Ben Mee thinks he can tackle but he cant....

JT thinks he can sleep with his friends partner but he cant (morally)....

Donald Trump thinks he won the election but didnt....

I think I'm funny but I'm not....

Give yourself some credit, funniest thing I have read this year

2 minutes ago, KevinRichardsonsMoustache said:

The antics aimed at turning his head will start now it is January. 
 

I’ve been thinking about how Jack’s game might have to develop as he gets older. Pace isn’t the issue here - aka Michael Owen - but Jack’s speed of thought and quickness of feet gets him past players and tied them in knots. 
 

He seems to be in good shape physically, but will age change the way he plays? Will his joints no longer allow him to jink past people? Does he turn into the sort of player who dictates play without having so much of the ball?  
 

This is heresy, I know, but if he shows any signs of decline or an inability to adjust to a new role - his poor personal choices perhaps building into this - then perhaps the club will think it prudent to cut him loose at some point, especially if United are still pining for him in a few years?

One that I always remember, 4th round of the Carling cup, Chelsea, 2006.

Randy paid for the coach trip down, and the atmosphere from start to finish was brilliant.

We were hammered 4-0 but it didn't matter, everyone was still high from the "American Revolution" coming to save us from Ellis.

Obviously turned out a horror show in the end.... But let's be honest, all of us were buzzing at that time.

24 minutes ago, VillaJ100 said:

The thing is Chelsea will have us over a barrel if they know we want him badly. On my fifa career I managed to convert the loan into permanent for a cool 12 mil. Fifa has foretold reality for me before do let's hope it does again! 

Genuinely think we will have to break out transfer record again to sign him permanently. I hope we do!

Just now, villianusa said:

Just before they scored,  I am seeing Giroud is too good for our center halves. I would rather Abraham had played.

We started brightly, but after Cash got the kick we have looked very lethargic. Traore didn't track for the goal, but it was very nicely taken. I think Elmo 0r Freddie should come on for Traore, it could be even done at halftime.

Watkins could do with some help, he looks the most tired of them all.

This. We were the better team up until this very point? Strange....

Still 45 mins to go, I still think we will get something out of this game.

UTV

12 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

I am fully expecting a reaction from Chelsea. 

Hopefully some cream or tablets will help.

Hause and Konsa's time to shine.

Silly from Ming's, Zaha well and truly wound him up and achieved what he set out to do.

20 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

Shall we just bid for Ivan Toney now? 

I was thinking the same

Funny how we were joking with the Brentford lads about buying him now instead of 2 years time.

7 minutes ago, MotoMkali said:

Last season mahrez got a goal or assist every 97 minutes. I'd also swap jack for Mbappe but only because we could then sell Mbappe for 400 million and resign jack for 100mil. 

I'm not going to discredit your data or opinion... I just disagree, because Mahrez, Mbappe, Messi.... They aren't our Jack and I wouldn't swap him for anyone.

11 hours ago, Kiwivillan said:

Link?

11 hours ago, TrentVilla said:

Really? Not seen it but it stands to reason, he must be absolutely buzzing at Villa. Playing alongside one of his best mates, starting every game and a key player, winning games, scoring goals. Couldn't be any better for him.

If he keeps this up old Beaky will need to look at him as well.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ross-barkley-sums-up-loan-19126282

Ba da ba ba baaaa....

“I’m loving it. It’s regular game-time, which is just what I needed,” Barkley gushed. “The manager has given me the platform to perform, and I’m excited for every game that’s coming.

1 minute ago, Paulie said:

 

We won't have to pay Chelsea anything.  I believe his contract ends 5/31/2021.  Can sign a pre-contract agreement on a free transfer in January. 

 

I though his contract ended 2022?

3 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said:

Link?

I can't really give a link, as I saw it on a South African "little River"

2 minutes ago, TrentVilla said:

 

As much as we are loving Barkley can you just imagine how much he must be loving life at Villa since joining? We will be keen to sign him permanently but I can't imagine he would be keen to leave either.

He has just said exactly this Trent in post match interview

That back heel to Targett needed an 18+ rating, pure filth

Spurs going for double figures today

2 hours ago, blandy said:

Totally agree. In Brazil and Belgium most of those challenges where he goes down would have been given as free kicks, so it's second nature for him to do it. I assume they would/will work in training games to tell him to "come on, get up/don't go down, play on, play to the whistle, you're stronger..." and just drill it into him to change his instinct to fall over and moan when he's in midfield and could have kept hold of the ball.

I have strong doubts about him, to be honest, or did last season - I think I said after the first game I went to that season - Bournemouth at home, that he looked like a dud signing on first viewing, but we have to give him time to adjust. He hadn't convinced me by the time he got injured, and the injury will take a lot of coming back from, but I hope he does, I hope he adjusts and I wish him well. He just didn't look like a goal threat remotely enough times for my liking and didn't look like the sort of player who ever would do. But I'm just a fan who doesn't know what he's talking about half the time.

Agreed also.

Take a look at comments from David Silva on his return to La Liga...

https://www.goal.com/en/news/four-games-booked-twice-man-city-legend-david-silva/j37nu7goqo761ldof10e2plcy

“I have played four games with Real Sociedad and I have been booked twice,” he told The Times . “I think I may have a problem with the referees and I need to get back used to it!”

16 hours ago, Villaphan04 said:

Absolutely love to see it. 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/10/17/special-agent-jack-grealish-new-aston-villa-recruit-ross-barkley/  (think its behind a paywall)

 

Anyone have access to the full article that could kindly share ?

Most likely conjecture but suggests a new contract could find a way to remove the buy back?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8845067/Douglas-Luiz-grew-admiring-Ronaldinho-lighting-Aston-Villas-season.html

"A new contract is surely imminent for Luiz, who moved to Villa from Manchester City 14 months ago. City have a buy-back arrangement which is likely to be removed as part of any new deal."